Automatic sprinkler-head for fire-extinguishers.



Patented Oct. 3|, I899.

(Application filed Mar. 18, 1897.)

G. D. COX &. F. GRAY. AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER HEAD FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.

(No Model.)

YIK am:

NITED STATES PATENT FFIG CHARLES D. COX AND FRANK GRAY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER-HEAD FOR FIRE-EXTINGUISHERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,749, dated October 31, 1899. I Application filed March 18, 1897. Serial No. 628,108. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that we, CHARLES D. COX and FRANK GRAY, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Sprinkler- Heads for Fire-Extinguishers,of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to certain improvements in the strut of the sprinkler-head and also to the means of locking the pressure-adjusting member and to a special construction of cap.

Our invention has for its object the provision of means whereby the separable parts or component members of the strut may be held with rigidity and firmness in the necessary relationship and position before the sprinkler-head is opened, the assembled and united sections or several parts or members of which strut are so constructed and arranged as to efiect an entire, complete, and instantaneous dissolution or separation upon heat application, to thereby invariably open the sprinkler-head automatically.

Our invention has certain other objects in View; and it consists in certain features about to be described, reference being now had to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of a closed sprinkler-head, showing our improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing the assumed position of the strut sections or members in the act of opening the heads. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the strut sections or members shown arranged opposite each other in readiness to be soldered together. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the cap and seat therefor.

The distributor is designated at 15, of ordinary construction, and held on the distributing-pipe 16 in the usual way by the yoke 17.

The pressure-adjustingscrew 18 is held in position and locked by extending the metal of the yoke-head 19 and then upsetting the metal to form the locking-flange 20, which extends over and upon the upper end or head of the pressure-adj ustin g screw 18 and firmly holds it from movement, so that the adjustsure-adjusting screw bears upon its upper end, The upper edge of the cap-section 22 .bears upon the tilting section 2& and rests upon the cap 25. The backing-section 23 is secured bysolder along the faces of the screwsection 21, the cap-section 22, and the tilting member 24 on one side thereof, and on the opposite side an extension member 26 from the tilting section is secured by solder along the face of the cap-section 22. A bevel-faced shoulder 27 on the backing-section 23 is secured by solder along the upper bevel edge of the cap-section 22 and also on the tilting section 24:. It will thus be observed that the several members of the strut A are intimately intermembered and firmly joined and held together as an integral Whole until the head is opened, the backing-section 23 being bound intimately and firmly to the cap-section, the tilting section and the screw-section holding them along one side. By reason of the extended shoulder 27, interposed between the tilting member 24 and the cap-section 22, the tendency of one part to slide along another is overcome, as the strain of the pressure is upon said shoulder. It will also be observed that the points of juncture between the capsection and the tilting section and the screwsection and the tilting section are offset relatively to each other on different vertical' planes, so that the cap-section bears upon one side of the tilting member and the screw-section on the other. Before the solder is melted the tilting member is held from movement; but when melted and the parts released the pressure causes the tilting member to turn, roll, or tilt in such a manner as to promptly, completely, and fully separate the various strut-sections, thus insuring the invariable automatic opening of the sprinkler-head as a complete dissolution of the strut members or sections is effected. It will also be observed that the parts are caused to immediately sepathe water in the distributing-pipe, and thecompression-disk 31 holds the cap-section. The compression-disk 31 has a slight springing movement upon the accumulation of an abnormal pressure in the distributing-pipe resulting from water-hammer and the like. This plate or disk 31 will yield to relieve the pressure and restore it to a normal condition.

The locking-flange 20, which extends over and upon the upper end or head of the pres sure-adjusting screw 18, also extends over and upon the rim 20 of the distributer 15, and thus securely holds it in position upon the yoke-head 19.

In Fig. 5 is shown a form differing from that already described by simply dispensing with the extension member 26 from the tilting section 24:.

It will be observed that the shoulder 27 engages the tilting member 24- below the point of engagement of the upper section 21 with said member. By virtue of this arrangement and construction the tilting member 24 turns I upon the section 21 as a hinge, thereby effecting a more complete separation of the parts.

Having thus described our in vention, what we claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A structure for a sprinkler-head consisting of an upper and a lower section, a tilting, rolling or turning member, a backing-plate and a shoulder projected therefrom which engages the said tilting, rolling or turning member together with means for holding said parts together under pressure when the sprinkler-head is closed.

2. A strut for a sprinkler-head consisting of an upper and a lower section, a tilting, rolling or turning member, the said upper and lower sections respectively engaging said member at offset points, a backing-plate, a shoulder on said backing-plate engaging the tilting, rolling or turning member at a point beneath the point of engagement of the up per section to said member whereby said member turns, rolls or tilts upon the upper section as a hinge to effect a complete separation of the parts and means for holding the parts together under pressure when the sprinklerhead is closed.

3. A strut for a sprinkler-head consisting of an upper and a lower section, or tilting, rolling or turning membeigan extension there from the said upper and lower sections respectively engaging said member at offset points, a backing-plate, a shoulder on said backing-plate engaging the tilting, rolling or turning member ata point beneath the point of engagement of the upper section to said member whereby said member turns, rolls or tilts upon the upper section as a hinge to effeet a complete separation of the parts and means for holding the parts together under pressure when the sprinkler-head is closed.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES D. COX. FRANK GRAY. \Vitnesses:

WM. JOHN COX, 0. C. BULKLEY. 

